Protected areas such as national parks and world heritage areas can't
possibly cater for the full diversity of Australia's native fauna. The key
to preserving habitat lies with private landholders. A lot has been said
about how farmers can help the situation so I will leave that be.
Small scale landholders who have their own peice of paradise in the bush
can also provide important habitat for birds, mammals and reptiles, and
there are people around who will help you.
In Victoria the 'Land for Wildlife' scheme recognises people who agree to
manage their land with animals in mind. Participants are provided with
advice about land management issues and are rewarded with a green sign that
denotes that your property is 'Land for Wildlife' property.
Also in Victoria an organisation called the "Trust for Nature" operates. I
beleive that similar organisations operate in other areas. The "Trust for
Nature" takes your commitment to habitat conservation further than "Land
for Wildlife" in that it puts your commitment into covenants that protect
your property into perpetuity. This means that your property is protected
for the foreseeable future. They also have a revolving fund and buy
properties which they convenant and then sell to sympathetic owners.
It is up to all of us to contribute to the provision of habitat for our
native fauna (and flora). It is also suprisingly cheap to buy some
georgous properties in areas somewhat removed from our major cities. Both
of these funds allow us to directly involve ourselves in this ongoin
process.
Stuart Cooney
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